diff --git a/autotests/folding/test.c.fold b/autotests/folding/test.c.fold
--- a/autotests/folding/test.c.fold
+++ b/autotests/folding/test.c.fold
@@ -54,3 +54,15 @@
  <endfold id='7'>*/</endfold id='7'>
 
 <endfold id='1'>#endif</endfold id='1'>
+
+<beginfold id='4'>/*</beginfold id='4'>
+ * Empty lines after a line continuation character (see bug #405903)
+ <endfold id='4'>*/</endfold id='4'>
+#define one \
+two \
+
+int i = 0; // this should not be highlighted as a macro
+char* str = "string \
+
+
+int i = 0; // this should not be highlighted as a string
diff --git a/autotests/html/test.c.html b/autotests/html/test.c.html
--- a/autotests/html/test.c.html
+++ b/autotests/html/test.c.html
@@ -60,4 +60,16 @@
 <span style="color:#898887;"> */</span>
 
 <span style="color:#006e28;">#endif</span>
+
+<span style="color:#898887;">/*</span>
+<span style="color:#898887;"> * Empty lines after a line continuation character (see bug #405903)</span>
+<span style="color:#898887;"> */</span>
+<span style="color:#006e28;">#define one \</span>
+<span style="color:#006e28;">two \</span>
+
+<span style="color:#0057ae;">int</span> i = <span style="color:#b08000;">0</span>; <span style="color:#898887;">// this should not be highlighted as a macro</span>
+<span style="color:#0057ae;">char</span>* str = <span style="color:#bf0303;">&quot;string \</span>
+
+
+<span style="color:#0057ae;">int</span> i = <span style="color:#b08000;">0</span>; <span style="color:#898887;">// this should not be highlighted as a string</span>
 </pre></body></html>
diff --git a/autotests/input/test.c b/autotests/input/test.c
--- a/autotests/input/test.c
+++ b/autotests/input/test.c
@@ -54,3 +54,15 @@
  */
 
 #endif
+
+/*
+ * Empty lines after a line continuation character (see bug #405903)
+ */
+#define one \
+two \
+
+int i = 0; // this should not be highlighted as a macro
+char* str = "string \
+
+
+int i = 0; // this should not be highlighted as a string
diff --git a/autotests/reference/test.c.ref b/autotests/reference/test.c.ref
--- a/autotests/reference/test.c.ref
+++ b/autotests/reference/test.c.ref
@@ -54,3 +54,15 @@
 <Comment> */</Comment><br/>
 <Normal Text></Normal Text><br/>
 <Preprocessor>#endif</Preprocessor><br/>
+<Normal Text></Normal Text><br/>
+<Comment>/*</Comment><br/>
+<Comment> * Empty lines after a line continuation character (see bug #405903)</Comment><br/>
+<Comment> */</Comment><br/>
+<Preprocessor>#define one \</Preprocessor><br/>
+<Preprocessor>two \</Preprocessor><br/>
+<Normal Text></Normal Text><br/>
+<Data Type>int</Data Type><Normal Text> i </Normal Text><Symbol>=</Symbol><Normal Text> </Normal Text><Decimal>0</Decimal><Symbol>;</Symbol><Normal Text> </Normal Text><Comment>// this should not be highlighted as a macro</Comment><br/>
+<Data Type>char</Data Type><Symbol>*</Symbol><Normal Text> str </Normal Text><Symbol>=</Symbol><Normal Text> </Normal Text><String>"string \</String><br/>
+<Normal Text></Normal Text><br/>
+<Normal Text></Normal Text><br/>
+<Data Type>int</Data Type><Normal Text> i </Normal Text><Symbol>=</Symbol><Normal Text> </Normal Text><Decimal>0</Decimal><Symbol>;</Symbol><Normal Text> </Normal Text><Comment>// this should not be highlighted as a string</Comment><br/>
diff --git a/src/lib/abstracthighlighter.cpp b/src/lib/abstracthighlighter.cpp
--- a/src/lib/abstracthighlighter.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/abstracthighlighter.cpp
@@ -145,8 +145,23 @@
          * see https://phabricator.kde.org/D18509
          */
         int endlessLoopingCounter = 0;
-        while (!stateData->topContext()->lineEmptyContext().isStay()) {
-            if (!d->switchContext(stateData, stateData->topContext()->lineEmptyContext(), QStringList()))
+        while (!stateData->topContext()->lineEmptyContext().isStay() || (stateData->topContext()->lineEmptyContext().isStay() && !stateData->topContext()->lineEndContext().isStay())) {
+            /**
+             * line empty context switches
+             */
+            if (!stateData->topContext()->lineEmptyContext().isStay()) {
+                if (!d->switchContext(stateData, stateData->topContext()->lineEmptyContext(), QStringList())) {
+                    /**
+                     * end when trying to #pop the main context
+                     */
+                    break;
+                }
+            /**
+             * line end context switches only when lineEmptyContext is #stay. This avoids
+             * skipping empty lines after a line continuation character (see bug 405903)
+             */
+            } else if (!stateData->topContext()->lineEndContext().isStay() &&
+                       !d->switchContext(stateData, stateData->topContext()->lineEndContext(), QStringList()))
                 break;
 
             // guard against endless loops